This book should have been written by a master craftsman, or it may have been the collection of a gambler who, after losing money gambling, pawned this "priceless treasure" to Sun Sanlang. Or perhaps Sun Sanlang obtained it through some channel.

He Yi was already very interested after reading the first few, and was ready to try it out herself. But when she flipped to the back, she found some pastry recipes that she had never heard of or seen before.

That's not all; they even wrote down quite a bit of the production process.

He Yi was overjoyed, never expecting that Sun Sanlang would bring her such an interesting book.

[Sun Sanlang: I got a loot drop!]

[Heyi: Pastry Secrets?]

Haha, study hard, and you'll be able to stand on your own two feet in the future.

He Yi held the book and looked at it. "Where did you get this?" Hearing He Yi's question, Sun Sanlang hurriedly explained, "Little Princess, although I, Sun Sanlang, am not a good person, I would never steal. This was pawned to me by a gambler a while ago. He said it was a family heirloom."

"I kept it because it was a family heirloom. A few days ago, I saw that it contained instructions on how to make pastries, and I thought you might need it, so I brought it to you today." Hearing this, He Yi was overjoyed; it was like a godsend!

She looked at it as if it were a priceless treasure, and the more she looked at it, the more alarmed she became.

The dessert recipes and various production processes recorded in this book are truly ingenious. Many of the ideas coincide with her improvement ideas, and even surpass them!

In short, He Yi believes that if this skill can be learned in a short period of time, Zhiweitang's pastries will definitely get better and better.

"Sun Sanlang, thank you!"

He Yi was filled with emotion and looked at him excitedly. Sun Sanlang smiled. He Yi was not going to let him give her the book for free. She went to the counter to find some silver, wanting to give it to Sun Sanlang.

But when He Yi came out again, she found that Sun Sanlang had quietly left sometime earlier.

"Why…"

He Yi wanted to chase after him; Sun Sanlang had recently fallen on hard times and must be struggling financially. But after walking only a few steps, she saw that there were still many customers in the shop, and she knew she couldn't be in two places at once.

Helpless, He Yi had no choice but to give up and took the book back to the counter, where she began to read it with great eagerness.

She stared at it, but when she turned to the last page, He Yi's brows furrowed involuntarily. She had thought it was a complete book, but upon closer inspection, she realized it was only the first volume!

The last few pages only contain a table of contents, and then the story abruptly ends.

The last page of this book prominently displays the words "See Volume 2 for details".

Where is the second volume?

Sun Sanlang didn't say, or perhaps he didn't. Although it was only the first volume, its contents were enough for He Yi to ponder for a long time. She decided to go see Sun Sanlang tonight, firstly to give him some silver as a proper thank you for this generous gift.

Secondly, she planned to inquire about the whereabouts of the second volume, or what else might be included with this book. If she could find any other content, He Yi would be overjoyed.

[You wicked female supporting character, curiosity killed the cat! Don't you dare cause any more trouble.]

Go during the day, listen to me, or you'll regret it.

[What, is Sun Sanlang planning to make a move on He Yi?]

No, no, no, something else is going to happen...

He Yi naturally saw the comments, but she wasn't bothered by these alarmist remarks. Instead, she had a feeling that the book's origins were probably not simple.

Finally, the store closed. After settling everything in, He Yi specially brought a box of newly made pastries and five taels of silver. Following the directions Sun Sanlang had given her, she went to find Sun Sanlang's lodging.

Upon learning that He Yi was going to see Sun Sanlang, Qingju's expression changed drastically. "Oh dear, why would we go to see him for no reason? Princess, do you have so much money that you don't know what to do with it?"

He Yi explained, "Take a look at this book. The pastries in it are even better than what I've improved. If we can get the second volume from him, we'll truly be able to stand on our own in the capital in the future."

"Well, since that's the case, let's just throw away five taels of silver." Qingju frowned, and Heyi nodded. Heyi, along with Liuyun and Qingju, carried a lantern and headed towards the dilapidated shantytown in the west of the city.

Sun Sanlang used to have a mansion, but now he only has this dilapidated house left.

As He Yi and the others left the city, night had already fallen. When they arrived at the West Market in the west of the city, He Yi found that the alleys there were narrow and dirty. The stinking ditch next to it was filled with a nauseating smell, and the stench emanating from the sewage made people want to vomit.

After walking for a while, it became even darker. This place was completely different from the imperial city, as if it were a forgotten place. Occasionally, you could hear the barking of dogs coming from some unknown residence, making the night seem even deeper and more eerie.

Looking down at the bluestone pavement and then up at the stars in the sky, a sense of gloom settled over them. Liu Yun warily stood in front of He Yi, while Qing Ju followed closely behind Liu Yun with some fear. The three of them headed away into the distance.

After making several inquiries...

The three finally found the dilapidated house where Sun Sanlang was staying. When they arrived, Sun Sanlang must have already gone to rest, as the house was completely dark without any candles.

The door was left ajar, not fully closed. A gust of wind blew through it, and the door creaked, making a chilling sound. As Zheng Heyi walked to the door, she cleared her throat.

"Sanlang, are you home?"

He Yi called softly from outside the door, but did not go inside immediately.

In fact, there was absolutely no response from inside the house. At this moment, He Yi felt a very bad premonition.

She hurriedly gestured for Liuyun to step forward. Liuyun nodded slightly, indicating they would advance and retreat together. However, Liuyun was still worried about potential dangers, and as she walked forward, her hand remained on the weapon at her waist.

Upon reaching the door, Liu Yun took a breath and forcefully pushed open the creaking door. Qing Ju had already brought the lantern closer, and instantly, the lantern's murky light poured into the room.

In an instant, the light illuminated everything in the room, and the three of them stared at it intently.

Sun Sanlang lay on his back on the ground, his body stained red. The room was filled with the smell of blood. Sun Sanlang's eyes were wide open; he had been dead for a long time.

Her face was frozen in extreme terror. He Yi was shocked. Liu Yun had already pointed to Sun Sanlang's chest and saw that there was a dagger without a handle stuck in Sun Sanlang's chest.

The dagger pierced Sun Sanlang's heart with unerring accuracy, staining the ground with the crimson of blooming flowers. The glaring deep red was a shocking sight.

The blood-stained dagger looked chilling in the candlelight.